Desperation- A Warrior Cats Story
by cinderheart4life
Summary: Just four seasons after the Dark Forest Battle, a disease swept through Thunderclan, killing many of the clan's population. Queens and Kits had a rare immunity to it, and the toms and some she-cats suffered the illness. In the end, only four toms were left, and ten she-cats. One was a queen, and the rest were warriors. Envy grew in the clan. What will Thunderclan go to to get kits?
1. Allegiances

**I do not own Warriors.**

**Hey! This is a story about Thunderclan after The Last Hope. Here's a little Intro-**

Just four seasons after the Dark Forest Battle, a disease swept through Thunderclan, killing many of the clan's population. Queens and Kits had a rare immunity to it, and the toms and some she-cats suffered the illness. In the end, only four toms were left, and ten she-cats. One was a queen, and the rest were warriors.

**So... here we go.**

**Leader-**

Squirrelstar- dark ginger she-cat

**Deputy-**

Cinderheart- gray tabby she-cat

**Medicine Cat**

Seedfur- ginger she-cat

Apprentice: Fallenpaw- golden tom

**Warriors**

Thornclaw-golden brown tabby tom

Whitewing-white she-cat

Poppyfrost- tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Icecloud-white she-cat

Lilydream- dark tabby she-cat

Rosepetal-dark cream she-cat

Blossomfall-tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Dovewing-pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Cherrynose- ginger she-cat

Ambersky- gray and white she-cat

Snowdrift- white tom

**Queens**

Hazeltail- gray and white she-cat; mother to Thornclaw's kit-

Flamekit- ginger tom

**Elders**

Sorreltail- tortoiseshell she-cat


	2. A New Era

**I do not own Warriors.**

Squirrelstar's POV

The camp seemed smaller than usual.

Of course it would be. It was a moon after the disease stopped spreading. We lost many great cats to that epidemic. Including my mate. Including my mother. Including my sister.

Bramblestar and I hadn't even had kits together yet. He died too young. Too easily. The disease kept coming back to him, knocking out life after life.

It was the worst thing that has ever happened to me.

Seedfur's ginger head stuck out of the Medicine cat den, looking around at the camp. She was Jayfeather's apprentice, before he, too, lost his life to the sickness. She had now taken on an apprentice, Fallenpaw, Cinderheart's son. The father, Lionblaze, had fallen the exact same fate as the others.

It sickens me to think of what this clan once was. Peaceful, loving. Our clan was perfect, perhaps even the strongest of the clans, but not now. This was an entirely different clan. Older She-cats fighting over who would be the next to carry Thornclaw's kits. Younger she-cats arguing over who would have Snowdrift's first litter. Some are even debating whether or not Fallenpaw is going to be able to have kits. It's horrible how they are pressuring the toms into reproducing.

But, deep down, I can't blame them.

Cinderheart emerged from the Warrior's Den, sleek gray fur shining in the dawn's light. She pads to Snowdrift. A lump forms in my throat.

_Oh, great! Now even Cinderheart's try to persuade the toms-_

But instead she just nods and continues on.

_Thank Starclan!_

Hazeltail's body exits the Nursery, and the small ginger tom kit follows her excitedly. I purr at the tom's happiness. But then I sigh. He was the youngest tom our clan had. Thornclaw spots the tom and hurries out to him. Suddenly a crowd forms around the kit and his father.

Cinderheart pads up to join me. "Horrible, isn't it?"

I nod and sigh. "This madness has gone on long enough." I stalk to the High Ledge.

"Cats of Thunderclan, gather here! Flamekit, Fallenpaw and Seedfur will watch you." Hazeltail ushers her kit to the Medicine Cat den and returns to the group.

"This is not how our clan should be. But I have an idea on how we can fix it as best we can." I pause. "Thornclaw can father kits, multiple litters at a time, unless if he chooses not to. Fallenpaw's code will not be broken, no matter what. He will never father kits, so long as he is a medicine cat. Snowdrift, you decide when you start fathering kits, or you can choose to find a mate. Flamekit will not be a father until he is a warrior."

Dovewing joins Squirrelstar and Cinderheart. "It's not right to make the toms feel like they have to have kits. I might never have kits, because it'd be wrong to Bumblestripe." Squirrelstar and Cinderheart nod.

Lilydream groans. "That's great and all, but we still need more cats to join our clan!" Rosepetal and Cherrynose nod.

"We can to the Twoleg place!" Whitewing calls.

"Or we can go to the Old Forest!" Poppyfrost adds.

"I think we should go to The Tribe of Rushing Water!" Sorreltail says mockingly, eyes glaring.

Squirrelstar growls. "We aren't going anywhere far. We will send Dovewing, Ambersky, and Poppyfrost to the Horseplace. It's a half day there, and a half day back. You can go get recruits and return in the morning. No need for herbs. I suggest you go immediately." All three nod, and I nod back.

"Be on your way." Cinderheart looks at me, eyes tired.

"Thunderclan has entered a New Era."

**Short, I know, this was kind like an intro to the adventure they have... R&R!**


	3. For Better or for Worse

**I do not own Warriors.**

Dovewing's POV

Ambersky leaps over the stream that is the border between us and Windclan.

"So, can you believe that we're going to get recruits? Us of all cats!" Ambersky chatters excitedly. I huff and leap over the stream. Poppyfrost follows.

"Quiet down, Ambersky, or all of Windclan will be on us!" I hiss irritably.

"Oh yeah! It must seem suspicious for three Thunderlan cats to be on Windclan!" Ambersky says sarcastically, rolling her eyes. Poppyfrost hisses.

"Stay by the lake, or they'll surely find us!"

Ambersky trots to the water's edge and we continue onward.

**...**

After a little while we reach the Windclan border. This we just cross. Ambersky perks up.

"Wow! I didn't know Windclan was so close to the Horseplace!" The Horseplace loomed ahead of us, and I gulp.

Time to get some toms.

Ambersky raced ahead. I hissed.

"Get back over here!" Ambersky scooted back and tilted her head.

"Why?" She asked, a gleam in her eyes. Then I remembered. She was never in love, and she is desperate for it.

"I'm going to listen and find out where some toms are." Ambersky became instantly quiet.

I concentrate ad let my mind wander.

"I wish we knew some she-cats." One voice went.

"Yeah! I wish we did too."

Dovewing opened her eyes. "Follow me."

She hurried forward and peeked her head in a barn. There was nothing. She took a step forward.

"Who are you?" Someone sounded in from her right. Ambersky and Poppyfrost joined Dovewing. A big black tom stalked forward. His amber eyes shone with surprise.

Ambersky hurries forward. "Oh, hi! I'm Ambersky! What's your name?"

The tom shows a hint of a smile. "My name is Kestrel. Where do you come from?"

Dovewing quickly answers. "We're from the forest and we are looking for some recruits. Are there any other cats living with you?"

Kestrel nods and turns. Five cats pad up.

Kestrel turns back. "The ginger one is Phoenix, the brown one is Hawk, the gray one is Falcon, the cream one is Sparrow, and the smoke gray one is Crow. We are all brothers and have lived here our entire lives."

Dovewing's jaw almost dropped. This was exactly what they were searching for!

Poppyfrost buts in. "Would any of you like to come to the forest? There's tons of prey, and we are a loving community. Once every moon we go to meet the other clans. You can be whatever you want, whoever you want. You might someday even be leader!"

Kestrel nods. "I'd love to come! Do you guys want to go?" He asks his siblings.

Eventually, they all agree.

Dovewing was in pure shock. This was too good to be true! This couldn't have ended up better.

"We're glad that you will be joining our clan." Dovewing says nonchalantly. "We are traveling there now. Are you all sure about this?"

Falcon nods. "Of course. I've kind of always wanted to be in a clan."

"Okay. Then let's go. We will travel over night."

The group began the short trail back to Thunderclan. Ambersky wouldn't stop chatting to Kestrel once. I rolled my eyes and continued.

The sun was just rising when the group arrived in the camp. The she-cats stared hungrily at the toms. Squirrelstar and Cnderheart appeared and padded to the group.

"Welcome back, warriors. And Welcome to Thunderclan." Squirrelstar turned to look at the she-cats crowding nearby.

Kestrel smiled. "Hello, Squirrelstar. I am Kestrel, and these are my brothers, Hawk, Sparrow, Crow, Phoenix, and Falcon." The toms nod.

Squirrelstar smiles. "Well, welcome. I suggest that you know how to hunt and fight, so you can be warriors. Would you like to keep your names?"

Phoenix nods. "I would like to stay Phoenix, until I feel I am ready."

"Very well then, Phoenix. I hope you all will love life here in Thunderclan. Here you can find a mate or be the father of multiple litters. It's your choice. You can choose to just be a warrior too, and someday you might even become Leader. Well, for now, observe the warriors. They can help you learn the Warrior Code. Alright. Carry on." Squirrelstar pads to the High Ledge and peers down at the members of Thunderclan.

I join Cinderheart by the Warriors Den. We don't speak. We just watch the cats. It's nice to have one cat that understands that you can't have another mate.

Hawk and Phoenix pad up to the two of us. Hawk speaks to me.

"Dovewing, want to play mossball?" He grins awkwardly. I huff.

"Look, I wish I could, but I already had a mate, and he died, and I'm not going to have another mate ever again. Same for Cinderheart here. So go off and find a she-cat that actually wants a mate, and wants kits."

Hawk pads away with his ginger brother. I pad to my nest and sigh.

_I wish you were still alive, Bumblestripe. I feel like each day it's harder for me to go on._

I drift into a deep sleep, enveloped in the dark ebony of dreamless sleep.

...

The next morning I pad out of the Warriors Den to see Sparrow, Hawk, Crow, Phoenix, and Falcon in the center of the clearing, all sitting like they are the most important cats in the world. Around them gathered Lilydream, who looked completely fascinated, Snowdrift, who rolled his eyes, Cherrynose, who was listening alertly, Rosepetal, who looked bored but was nodding enthusiastically at everything they said, and Ambersky sitting next to Kestrel, who added stuff here and there. I scoffed and padded to the Fresh-Kill pile and grabbed a thrush. Whitewing approached me, looking worried.

"Dovewing, you slept for a long time! Almost an entire day! Are you feeling well? Maybe you should go see Seedfur-"

"I'm fine, Whitewing. Really, I am." I smile at my mother, who nods and pads away. I take a bite of the thrush, the flavor tingling on my tongue. I watched the gathering of cats, listening acutely.

"Now, I was half the size of this dog, but I still fought like I was a badger!" Falcon boasts proudly, and Lilydream watches with wide eyes. I notice Ambersky and Kestrel speaking, so I tune in my hearing to them.

"He didn't really kill that dog, did he?" Ambersky chuckled. Kestrel laughed and grinned.

"No, he didn't. He ran up to it and ran straight back, and soon it's twoleg came for it."

Ambersky laughed happily. I stopped listening to them. Snowdrift padded over to me. He sat down by my side and turned to look at me.

"Dovewing, can I ask you something? You're one of the only she-cats I can talk to that won't ask me to father their kits." Snowdrift says awkwardly. I feel pity for the tom, and nod.

"There's one she-cat I really like, but she's too absorbed in with the _kittypets _that she doesn't pay any attention to me. I don't understand! All these she-cats want to have my kits, but she's the only one that doesn't. What should I do?"

I sigh.

"Look, Snowdrift, I was in love once. You have to go for her, or else she'll slip away even farther."

Snowdrift nods. "Okay. Thanks, Dovewing."

I nod and continue eating.

Thunderclan was changing, that's for sure.


End file.
